1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a guide or tool to assist in cleaning or scraping paint from a window with a scraper or the like.
2. Prior Art
In painting window sashes, at least some paint will ordinarily be left on the window panes. Since it is unsightly to leave paint on the window pane, a razor blade or other known scraper is often used to remove the paint from the window pane after the painting has been completed. It is desirable for aesthetic reasons to leave a straight line when the paint has been removed. The use of a razor blade or other scraper may, however, result in gouging the window sash or glazing.
Moreover, it is desirable to leave a very thin line of paint on the window pane where the window sash meets the glass. If the sash or glazing therewith is scraped or cut, the seal which the paint provides against moisture is broken. Water or moisture may gather and work its way underneath the paint. The value of the paint is thereby diminished.
In the past, a number of devices have been utilized to scrape the paint from the window pane. Razor blade holders which retain a razor blade and have a handle such as Brown (U.S. Pat. No. 2,164,050) and Shinn, Jr. (U.S. Pat. No. 1,729,279) are typical. These holders and accompanying razor blades work well to scrape paint from the window. They do not, address the problem of aesthetically leaving a straight line or the problem of retaining the seal that the paint provides with the window.
Other devices have been utilized to trim paint from a window pane.
Paskaly (U.S. Pat. No. 2,893,042) provides a hand-held guide to trim paint from window panes after painting while leaving a narrow band of paint as a seal. The guide would be used in combination with a razor blade or other scraper. The guide is constructed of a multitude of pieces that are held together by fasteners. Additionally, the guide must mate with the window sash to operate.
Dobratz (U.S. Pat. No. 2,787,056) discloses a scraper device which is mounted on rollers wherein a blade spaced a short distance from the sash moves along the glass to trim paint.
Cortelyou, Jr. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,709,478) discloses a paint scraper with a body extending wider than the blade to leave a narrow border.
Various guards are likewise known which may be used during the painting process to prevent the paint from being applied in an undesirable area.
Morawski (U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,913), Hall (U.S. Pat. No. 1,386,706), Shotwell (U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,693 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,383,496), Miron (U.S. Pat. No. 2,726,633), Wendt (U.S. Pat. No. 1,411,462), Matter (U.S. Pat. No. 2,289,136) and Roe (U.S. Pat. No. 1,292,071) each disclose paint guards used during the painting process.
At the same time, it is known that when the paint is fresh it may be easily scraped off. After a period of time, the paint ages and loses its elasticity. Thereafter, scraping of the paint from the window pane tends to chip or shatter the paint. Again, not only is a straight line difficult to achieve but the seal provided by the paint is broken.
Accordingly, it is a principal object and purpose of the present invention to provide a guide for use with a scraper or the like in order to clean or scrape the paint from a window.
It is a further object and purpose of the present invention to provide a guide for cleaning paint from windows which will allow retention of and leave a thin border or line of paint on the window where the window sash meets the glass.
It is an additional object and purpose of the present invention to provide a guide for cleaning paint from windows wherein force may be applied to the border or line of paint to prevent the paint from chipping or cracking.